Clothes-drier.



No. 704,56l. Patented July I5, 1902.

K. C. MOUBE.

cunuss BRIE-B.

(No Model.)

5 H Illlllllllllll 7 WWWWW l I I/ Q 8 j) 6 nven tor' UNiTnn STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

KINGMAN OOLQU'ITT MOORE, OF MACON, GEORGIA.

CLOTHES-DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 704,561, dated July 15, 1902. Application filed January 3, 1901. Serial No. 41,951. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, KINGMAN COLQUITT MOORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Macon, in the county of Bibb and State of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Olothes-Driers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of. the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tornake and use the same.

This invention relates to driers for clothes and other articles, substantially as will hereinafter be more particularly described.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and light but strong and durable device of this character adapted for convenient attachment toa support, preferably to the outside of a window, so that beds or mattresses, clothing, and other articles may be supported thereon for the purpose of airing, sunning, or drying the same, and, further, to provide a foldable device adapted to be folded in compact form when detached, so as to occupy a minimum of space for shipment or storage. It may be stated that the said device is further intended for the use of persons residing in upper stories or flats of buildings, where yard-space is either very limited or not to be had at all, to say nothing of the inconvenience of descending to a yard or ascending to the roof of a house for thepurpose of airing or drying clothes and other articles. \Vhen not in use, the device can be readily lifted from its support and stowed away in a room'and then with equal facility be again suspended in position for use with the expenditure of very little strength upon the part of the person using the same.

In one embodiment myinvention may consist of a single foldable supporting-frame adapted for attachment to the outside of a window or other suitable support in the manner of a shelf or scaffold, andin another embodiment the invention may comprise, in addition to and in connection with said supporting-frame, an extra or auxiliary frame in the nature of a clothes-rack attachment adapted to be secured to said first-mentioned frame.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at the end of the description.

In said drawings, in which similar parts in the different views are denoted by like letters of reference, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bed and clothes drying and airing device embodying my invention, the same being represented as secured to the outside of a window. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the auxiliary frame or rack attachment secured to the frame represented in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa, detail view in perspective of one of the brackets or-angle-irons fitted to said clothes drying and airing device for attachment to the supporting cables or wires and to the connecting-irons of the said auxiliary frame or rack attachment when the latter is employed, and Fig. i is a front View of said bracket. Figs. 5 and 6 are detail perspective views of one of the connecting irons or castings of the said auxiliary frame or rack attachment and one of the devices employed for securing the inner ends of the clothes-drier to the Windowsill, respectively. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the device, including both the main frame and the auxiliary frame detached and folded, illustrating the manner of placing them together, so as to occupy a minimum of space for shipment or storage; and Fig. Sis a detail fragmentary View in perspective of a portion of the device, iliustrating the manner of folding the same.

A device embodying my invention, which is represented in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings as attached to the window-frame of a building, may consist of a pair of parallel rods or bars A A and a foldable cross-bar B, hinged to each of said rods or bars A A at a point intermediate their length in a manner presently to be described, the inner ends of said rods A A being adapted to be rigidly secured to the window-sill and the outer ends to be properly supported by suitable ropes or cables, preferably stout wires 0 O, secured to the sides of the window-frame by hooks o c or in any suitable manner. The said cross bar B preferably comprises two equal parts or pieces hinged at their adjacent ends, as at b, in such manner as to be foldable upon each other in a plane at right angles to the plane of said bars A A and preferably foldable in one direction only, each of said parts orpieces being also'hinged at the other end to one of the said rods A, as at b, in such manner as to be foldable thereupon in a plane coincident with the plane of said parallel rods A and preferably foldable in one direction only and each piece in the same direction. By this construction when the frame or device is attached to the windowin the manner described the said cross-bar serves to effectually brace or separate the said rods A, and the frame is rendered perfectly rigid as well as non-collapsible, while when detached the frame or device may be folded together or upon itself, so as to bring the said rods A together in the manner illustrated in Fig. 8, whereupon the folded or doubled cross-bar B or parts thereof may be further folded in the direction indicated by the arrow, Fig.8, upon the said rods A to reduce the device to the compact form illustrated in the upper part of Fig. 7. To further insure against collapsibility of the frame when in use for the purposes mentioned,

, I employ a suitable sleeve or collar b slidably fitted around the said cross-rod B and adapted to close over the junction of the two parts thereof to render the rod rigid in use and adapted to be moved 01f from saidjunction to permit folding of the frame, the movement of said sleeve 19 being properly limited by means of a suitable pin or stop b on one member or part of said foldable crosss-bar or other suitable means to prevent said sleeve from falling to a position to interfere with the folding of the frame. (See Fig. 8.)

To properly secure the inner ends of the rods A to the window-frame, I may employ such devices as are shown in detail in Fig. 6, consisting, preferably, of flat irons or castings D, adapted to be secured to the window-sill and provided with suitable screw-holes d for this purpose, each of said irons having a forward collar or sleeve d formed integral therewith to receive the inner end of one of the said rods A and a rearward upstanding lug or projection 01 to prevent said rod from slip ping back into the window, and set-screws d may also be provided in suitable screwholes (1 in said collars d, the same being adapted to be screwed against the rods A to hold them fast. However, in place of the irons D other devices, such as ordinary staples, may be employed, or the rods may be secured to the window-sill in any proper manner.

To the outer end ofteach of the rods A of the frame is preferably secured a suitable bracket or angle-iron E, having its upstanding portion or arm e positioned at the extremity of said rod,and to the upper eyed or looped extremities e of the upstanding arms e are" fastened the supporting-wires C, the said wires being thus attached to the frame .in such manner and position as to permit utilizing its whole length for supporting mattresses or other articles thereon without obstruction thereto by the wires, which, however, maybe otherwise secured to the frame, if desired. Each of said brackets E is preferably provided with a bottom socket 8 in which the outer end of one of the rods A is fitted and secured, all liability of the brackets working loose and becoming detached from the rods being thus obviated. Along the front or outer face of each bracket is formed a flaring or T-shaped rib or projection e increasing in size toward its lower end, the said ribs being designed for engagement with correspondingly-shaped grooves or sleeves on the auxiliary frame when the latter is attached to the frame above described, as hereinafter explained. Said brackets are also provided with rearward lugs or hooks e adapted to engage and hold the first of a series of connected slats F, (shown partly in Figs. 1

ward slat maybe slipped over suitable hooks f on the rearward portions of the rods A, and the said hooks f, which are here shown pointing away from the window, may then be turned toward the window to secure the said slat.

As before stated, I may employ in conjunction with the device or frame already described an auxiliary frame in the nature of a clothes-rack attachment, the same being illustrated in Fig. 2 as attached to the main frame and in Fig. 7 as folded and placed alongside the main frame. Said auxiliary device or frame consists of a pair of parallel rods or bars G G and a pair of parallel and foldable cross bars or rods H H, hinged to and connecting the same, the said cross-bars Hbeing preferably the same distance apart as the bars or rods A of the main frame. Each of the said cross-bars H preferably comprises two equal parts or portions hinged together at their adjacent ends it in exactly the same manner as the cross-bar B and also hinged to the parallel rods or bars G, as at h, in the 1 same manner as the cross-bar B to the parallel rods A, the two cross-bars H, however, being preferably made foldable upon the bars or rods G only toward the ends of the latter or away from each other, for a reason which shall hereinafter appear. iary frame when not in use may be folded upon itself to bring the rods G together, whereupon the folded or doubled cross-bars H may then be further folded upon the said Hence said auxilrods G (in opposite directionsor away from each other) to reduce the auxiliary frame to the compact form illustrated in the lower part of Fig. 7 in exactly the same manner as the main frame. The auxiliary frame is also rendered noncollapsible in use by means of connected to the window, while if the auxil sleeves or collars 7L2 on the bars H, similar to that employed on the cross-bar B, said collars being supporteddn proper place over the junction of the said foldable bars II by suitable pins or stops 7&3 on the portions beneath said junctions, or said collars may be secured in place by set-screws entered therethrough or by other suitable means.

To provide for attachment of the auxiliary frame or rack to the main frame, the crossbars H of the former are each provided with a suitable connecting device 1, (shown in detail in Fig. 5,) having a collar or band 2' fitting around and rigidly secured to said bar and having a groove or sleeve t" on one side corresponding in shape with the flaring or T- shaped ribs 6 on the brackets E and adapted to slide down over the latter, whereby the auxiliary frame may be quickly and conveniently attached to or detached from the main frame by simply sliding the sleeves or grooves '5 down over or up from the said ribs e The downwardly-increasin g form of the ribs 6 and the corresponding shape of the grooves or sleeves i serve to maintain the auxiliary frame in proper position, as will be well understood.

To each end of the bars G of the auxiliary frame suitable fastening devices, such as eyes 9, may be inserted to provide attachments for ropes or wires J, which may be stretched from suitable points of the window-frame to serve as clothes-lines, and of course suitable fastenings may be provided elsewhere for the same purpose, if desired.

The manner of using the device will be apparent from the foregoing description. The supporting-wires being properly attached to the main frame, the. latter may be readily pushed out from the window, with or without the slats F, as preferred, and the inner ends of the rods A brought into proper position in the sleeve cl and the free ends of the wires iary frame is also to be used said frame can be placed outside the window and attached to the main frame in the manner before indicated before the latter is pushed out to its full distance. For shipment or storage the frame may be easily folded and placed together in the manner illustrated in Fig. 7, with the folded cross-bar B positioned between the folded cross-bars I-I, so as to occupy a minimum of space. The device thus described is very eflicient and convenient, simple in construction, inexpensive in manufacture, and adapted to be constructed to combine lightness with strength and durability.

It will be understood that the invention is susceptible of various modifications without departing from its scope. Thus the main frame may be provided with two cross-bars similarly to the auxiliary frame, though one cross-bar is sufficient, the inner ends of the rods A of the main frame being braced at the window-sill.

While the connecting devices E and I and other similar parts are preferably formed of metal for the purposes of strength and dura-. bility, the same may, however, be formed of.

any suitable material.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In a clothes-drying frame of the character described, parallel rods or bars, and afoldable cross-bar, the latter comprising two parts of substantially equal length hinged at adjacent ends and foldable lengthwise upon each other in aplane at right angles to said parallel rods, said cross-bar being also hinged at opposite ends to the parallel rods and foldable lengthwise thereagainst in one direction only in a plane coincident with thelatter,and means for preventing folding of said frame when in use, substantially as described. 1

2. In a clothes-drying frame of the character described, parallel rods or bars, and afoldable cross-bar comprising two parts of substantially equal length hinged at adjacent ends and foldable lengthwise upon each other in one direction only and in a plane perpendicular to said parallel rods, said cross-bar being also hinged at opposite ends to the two parallel rods and foldable lengthwise against each one thereof in a direction toward one end of the frame only and in a plane parallel with said rods; substantially as described.

3. In a device of the character described, the main frame in the nature of a window shelf or scaffold incombination with the auxiliary frame or rack attachment therefor, one of said frames being provided with outwardlyiiaring and downwardly-increasing vertical ribs or projections and the other frame with correspondingly-shaped grooves adapted to fit and slide over said ribs, whereby said auxiliary frame may be readily attached to and detached from said main frame; substantially as described.

4:. In combination with the main frame or window-scaffold, consisting of a pair of parallel rods or bars and a cross-bar,-said parallel bars having brackets fitted to their outer or forward ends and provided with vertical outwardly-flaring and downwardly-increasing ribs, the auxiliary frame or rack consisting of a pair of parallel rods and apair of parallel. cross-bars, the latter being about the same distance apart as the parallel rods of the main frame and having secured to their sides sleeves corresponding in shape and adapted to slide down over the said ribs on the brackets of the main frame, whereby said trernitywith an eye for the fastening-wire, ably mounted upright upon said collapsible said brackets having also rearward hooks or bars; substantially as described. IO lugs adjacent the rods, substantially as and In testimony whereof I affix my-signature forthe purposes described. 7 in presence of two witnesses. 5 6. Aclothes-drier adapted for attachment KINGMAN COLQUITT MOORE.

to a, support, and constructed of collapsible Witnesses: bars andasuspensory device, in combination J. P. NICHOLS,

with an auxiliary collapsible frame detaoh- E. 0. SMITH. 

